Her finger gently brushed against the emerald green jade bracelet on her wrist as her eyes filled with a sense of struggle.

Should I lift the seal now?

If I lift this seal, my family members would then be able to find me. When that time comes, I must return to my family and accept their marriage alliance! I must serve my family for the rest of my life!

If I don't do this, the flaming lion and Brother Xia will die. There's no way we can hold on until our Leader returns.

Gu Lan took a deep breath at the thought of this and opened her watery eyes. If anyone were paying close attention to her, they would notice an almost indiscernible layer of white slowly emerging from her body, followed by a force of energy...

"Isn't it a little irrational for so many of you to bully a young lady?"

That voice was as tender as a young man's but it was exceptionally moving.

Gu Lan paused the finger which she had placed on the jade bracelet. She then turned around to see that the delicate youth had emerged from the doors. Her eyes reddened as she said, "Brother Xia, what are you doing out here? I'm sorry, it's my fault. I've dragged you down."

Xia Linyu smiled gently and shook his head. His gaze then fell upon the crowd in front of him as the smile on his delicate features deepened.

"If you're really that desperate, you should look for the men of the World Destruction Mercenaries. Why gang up together on a young lady?"

"Hmph!"

The Leader of the Heavenly Wolf Mercenaries scoffed icily. His face sank as he spoke in an eerie voice, "Are you the little fair-faced one that Gu Lan had brought back? Actually, you're quite good looking. You're much better looking than the people that we've killed all those years before! Still, it's a pity that you want to save the damsel in distress. I'm afraid that you won't have the chance now. Trusted Advisor, I'll give you one last chance. Kill this brat!"

The Trusted Advisor had been feeling rather downcast over being placed downwind in his fight against the flaming lion. Now, after he heard the Leader of the Heavenly Wolf Mercenaries' words, his eyes lit up as he sneered, "Don't worry, Leader. I might not have been able to get rid of the flaming lion but it won't be a problem for me to take care of this weak and crippled young man. I will only need one strike to kill him instantly!"

As he spoke, the Trusted Advisor was already charging towards Xia Linyu.

His eyes were filled with murderous intent and his lips curled into a smile that indicated his determination for victory.

To him, killing Xia Linyu would be far too easy!

Just as he swung the sword in his hand, a loud clang was heard. A layer of protection seemed to have appeared from out of nowhere. His sword was only a few millimeters away from Xia Linyu's body yet he was unable to reach him no matter how hard he tried.

"Trusted Advisor, what on earth are you doing? Can it be that you can't bear to strike the fair-faced boy?"

The Heavenly Wolf Mercenaries felt a wave of skepticism when they saw the Trusted Advisor's actions.

Upon hearing their skeptical voices, the Trusted Advisor's face flushed red as he swung his sword once again.

Clang!

The sound was clear and crisp but it was not very obvious. Only the Trusted Advisor, who was very close by, could hear it.

At that moment, the crowd could only see the Trusted Advisor waving his sword in the air willy-nilly without landing a single strike on Xia Linyu.

"Trusted Advisor, are you dancing? Even if you want to celebrate, you should wait until after we've vanquished the World Destruction Mercenaries!"

The crowd was getting impatient. What is this Trusted Advisor doing? He has only been tasked with killing a useless cripple yet he requires such a long process?

When the Trusted Advisor saw that the Heavenly Wolf Mercenaries' Leader was starting to look thoroughly unsatisfied as well, he immediately turned around with a reddened face, "Leader, I don't know what's going on either. It feels as if a wall has formed here, separating me from him. My sword can't go through at all!"